


the demon trials

by Scripturiens



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Canon Related, Canon-Typical Violence, Demon Deals, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, M/M, Multi, Original Character(s), Slice of Life, Witchcraft, will add tags as i see fit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:41:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23762470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scripturiens/pseuds/Scripturiens
Summary: When all is thrust upon open palms, holding on is all one can do to avoid falling.Or, follow the adventures of my MC as she struggles to make her way around the Devildom with some level of decorum.
Relationships: Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Everyone
Comments: 10
Kudos: 25





	1. welcome to the devildom

**Author's Note:**

> After a long, long absence, I'm trying to slowly get back into writing and I've been recently entrapped by this fandom. I think it's pretty cool how everyone on this game has such well-rounded, vivid MCs and I didn't want to be left behind! I've never actually fleshed out an original character for any game before, so this is an exercise for me as I get to know my MC. For this reason alone, in this particular story I will be referring to her as Aeris, and not MC.
> 
> I'm working on a plot that is (sort of) canon-compliant so I will be drawing a lot from the main game and possibly events, too. Anyway, please enjoy some demon boy shenanigans.

The first thought that comes into her head is, _where am I?_

The place looks grand, just like a courtroom. Several men are looking her way and she narrows her eyes at them, settling on the one towering in the seat of the chief judge as he starts speaking. There are two exits that she can see, but none that she can get to without crossing the room and walking past all of them – a problem, of course, that she intends on solving soon.

“Welcome to the Devildom, Aeris. Oh, pardon me. Feeling a bit shocked, are we? Well, that’s understandable. You’ve only just arrived, after all. As a human, it will probably take a while for you to adjust to things here in the Devildom.”

“The Devildom?” she repeats, a blank expression on her face. Her gaze flits cautiously back to the men around him, all looking at her with varying levels of interest and displeasure. Her lip curls; at least that much is mutual.

“Yes, exactly, the Devildom. I see that you catch on quickly. Excellent.” He places his hand on his chest graciously, nodding at her. “I suppose I should start by introducing myself. My name is Diavolo. I am the ruler of all demons, and all here know of me. And someday soon, I will be crowned king of the Devildom.”

There is a definite ring of authority in his voice and Aeris chews on the inside of her cheek, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. She had dozed off while reading in the comfort of her own bedroom, so when she regained consciousness and found herself in this strange place, she had been sure this was just another of those weird lucid dreams she sometimes got. It _felt_ different, though, like the atmosphere was charged with an entirely different sort of energy and yet, it couldn’t possibly be _real_.

“This is the Royal Academy of Diavolo…though we just call it RAD. You’re standing inside the assembly hall, the very heart of RAD. This is where we officers of the student council hold our meetings and conduct our business,” he continued, gesturing towards the men on his right and left. “I’m the president of said council.”

“Why am I here?” she asks, steadying her voice despite the erratic beating of her heart. The man on his, that is, Diavolo’s right, inclines his head briefly at her, a thin smile playing briefly on his lips. The hairs on the back of her neck stand upright and she tries not to shiver, placing all her energy behind her glare.

“I will explain everything to you.”

“Aeris, this is Lucifer. He is a demon and the Avatar of Pride. He’s also the vice president of the student council and my right-hand man… and not just in title, I assure you. Beyond that, he’s also my most trusted friend.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Diavolo,” Lucifer says, but Diavolo simply hums, placing his chin on his palm as Lucifer addresses her again.

“Speaking on behalf of the entire student body at this great and storied school of ours…I offer you a most heartfelt welcome, Aeris.”

Aeris cocks her head to one side, placing her hand on her hip and hitching her chin at him in the way that always got her in trouble with teachers and tutors when she was younger.

“Answer my question.”

“…Interesting. This one is quite different from Solomon.”

Before she can ask _who the hell is Solomon,_ Lucifer is already pacing closer to her with a bemused expression on his face.

“Diavolo believes that we demons should start strengthening our relationship with both the human world and the Celestial Realm. As a first step towards this goal, we’ve decided to institute an exchange program. We’ve sent two of our students to the human world and two to the Celestial Realm. In turn, we’re welcoming four students to our school: two from your world and two from the Celestial Realm.” He crosses his arms across his chest, looking down at her. “So, I take it you’ve probably put two and two together at this point, right? You’ve been chosen from among the people of the human world to participate in this program of ours. You are our newest exchange student. After one year, you will write a paper about your exchange here in the Devildom.”

“Excuse me, tasks?” she blurts out, almost indignant. “As in _homework?”_

Lucifer seems vaguely amused. “You are here as an exchange student. Did you really expect to spend your time here fooling around?” When she does not answer, his smirk deepens. “Don’t glare at me like that. It’s not like I will abandon you all by yourself here in the Devildom. You need someone to look after you, and I think that someone should be my brother Mammon. He’s the Avatar of Greed and …. How should I put it…? Oh, well, you’ll understand soon enough.”

He extends a gloved hand and she takes the mobile device from him, her glare expending itself into a listless sort of glance. She’s tired and her brain feels too stretched – she can feel the beginnings of a headache creeping along her temple.

“Here, take this device. It’s called a D.D.D. it’s a lot like the cell phones of your world. This will be yours to use for as long as you’re here. Now go ahead and try calling Mammon with it.”

Taking the device and turning it over in her hand, Aeris has decided she’s had enough. She waves her free hand, unable to keep still while these men hold her hostage and stare at her amusedly, as though _she_ were the one claiming to be a demon.

“Suppose I possess enough suspension of disbelief to accept all of this is real,” her gaze settles on Lucifer, almost defiantly. “Why on _earth_ would I go along with such a thing?”

She can see the crown prince smiling from his seat, as though nothing pleases him more than watching her ask these questions but Lucifer – Lucifer’s smile has faded enough for her to feel the sudden shift in the room.

“There are many benefits to the exchange program,” he explains quietly. “The cultural aspect alone should be a uniquely enriching experience for you. Your every need will be taken care of and you will enjoy a privileged position as an esteemed guest of Lord Diavolo – whom you will in time, know to be a gracious host. In turn, all we ask of you is one year – see to your tasks and polish that pretty soul of yours. It can be a game of sorts, if you will.”

Aeris nods and the smile on her face this time mirrors his before her eyes are on Diavolo again. “Well then,” she chuckles darkly, “How could I say no to all that?”

The question is meant to be rhetoric, but the answer is written plainly in all their eyes.

_She can’t._

“Right then,” she sighs. “Mammon, was it?”

Introductions are made swiftly and efficiently. Lucifer has six brothers, all demons of the highest tier and members of the student council. The rest of the conversation is merely transactional and Aeris’ head is already spinning from the barrage of information she is being assaulted with – details about her lessons and tasks will be sent by d-mail and she will find everything she needs in the room that has been accommodated for her at the House of Lamentation. She thinks she’ll remember their names just fine, all things considered and by the time Mammon is speaking again, Aeris’ head is already pounding.

“I wanna make one thing clear right now: don’t blame me if someone gets eaten, ‘cause it ain’t my fault.”

“You don’t _really_ eat humans, do you?”

Mammon’s eyebrow rises coldly and he gives one of his brothers – Satan, if she’s not mistaken, an exasperated look, but before she can protest Diavolo is closing in on her, arms spread wide open before crossing them over his chest. Up close he is _massive_ and much more handsome, and she files away the particular way he looks down at her so she can pick it apart later.

“Humans, angels, demons, I imagine a universe where each accept the other. Where we are brought together as friends. This is my dream, and I’m asking you o be the foundation for it. One year, that’s all I ask of you. Good luck, Aeris.”

“Well,” she turns to her new roommates and with a confidence she doesn’t really feel, places her hands on her hips. “Let’s make it a year to remember.”

Mammon _tsks,_ rolling his eyes. “Whatever. I ain’t gonna stop you from having fun.”

She is spared another lecture and soon, is shown to her new home by Mammon. On the way there is a lot of complaining, but she is trying hard to take in her surroundings and mostly succeeds in tuning him out. The house itself is beautiful – a fine example of Gothic architecture with high ceilings, noble woods and lavish, marble floors. The corridors are richly decorated and there are many paintings that, were she not exhausted, she’d be tempted to look at closely. They stop in front of the door two corridors from the kitchen and Mammon unlocks it for her, turning on the lights so she can come in.

The room is _beautiful_. The large wooden bed is located on the far corner, lavishly decorated in thick, heavy comforters and fluffy pillows that look positively _divine_ , but the room is largely dominated by the live tree that grows above and around the bed. There are several delicate glass lanterns hanging from its branches and it looks like something plucked right out of a fairy tale.

Mammon watches from the doorway, annoyed expression painted firmly on his face. “If you’re done gawking,” he sneers, “I’ll be taking my leave.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have any aspirin, would you?” she asks, turning over her shoulder to see him frowning at her.

“Whaddaya think I am, a nurse? Tch. I’m outta here. Breakfast’s at seven.”

“I see,” she nods, quiet. “Thank you anyway, Mammon.”

He seems to be surprised for a second, but catches himself quickly. “Yeah, whatever! Welcome, I guess.”

She peers into the bathroom curiously, pleased to see there’s a fair selection of products already set for her. She finds her drawers have been equipped with some neutral clothes and several uniforms hang inside a pretty wooden wardrobe. She fishes out some sleeping clothes and readies herself for bed and when she comes out of the bathroom, her eyes land on a bottle of aspirin that most certainly wasn’t there half an hour before.

Aeris purses her lips. She’ll have to remember to thank him tomorrow.

* * *

For a peek of what Aeris looks like, [voilà](https://scripturienss.tumblr.com/post/614610629979996160/yes-of-course-i-jumped-on-the-hype-train-and-i).


	2. the human everyone is talking about

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aeris meets the other human exchange student and Lucifer gives her much to think about.

With nimble fingers tugging on buttons and smoothing non-existent creases on what is a perfectly pressed jacket and skirt, Aeris then struggles to make a decent knot out of the standard black tie she has been issued, giving up and settling for … almost acceptable. She looks  _ fine _ , picture perfect if only she could figure out how to tie the stupid thing.

Going through the motions of getting ready for a  _ school day _ , of all things, seemed like the most ridiculous thing to do but Aeris had some time to think about her situation and going along seemed to be the safest option for now. She knew next to nothing about the Devildom, but her gracious hosts at least seemed intent on keeping her alive and at this point, she counted that as an undeniable victory. 

Sighing, she picks up her D.D.D. and, throwing her long hair over her shoulder, makes her hasty way to the dining room for breakfast. She’s embarrassed to realise most of the demon lords are already halfway done with their own plates and tries to make a mental note to wake up earlier tomorrow.

“If it isn’t our newest resident human, up so early!” Asmodeus’ voice is sweet, high and melodic and Aeris instantly warms up to him with a smile. “Did you rest well? You look  _ divine _ .”

“Good morning,” she says, sliding easily into the seat right next to him. “I think I slept okay, thank you.”

Lucifer is seated at the head of the table, eyes leaving the paper he’s reading only to look at her briefly. His eyes narrow slightly over her poorly drawn tie and she purposely avoids his gaze.

“If there’s anything wrong with your bedroom, do let me know so I can do something about it.”

Aeris pours herself a cup of dark coffee, basking in the warm, familiar fragrance for a few seconds. “The bedroom is fine,” she says, shaking her head politely as Satan offers her sugar. “I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon.”

“Well, you look fairly adjusted already,” Satan says, smiling. “I didn’t expect you to be quite so put-together on your first day.”

Lucifer finishes the cup in his hand and folds the paper neatly, placing it over the table before standing. “As long as you’re in such high spirits, Satan, do help her with her tie. We wouldn’t want anything to be off on her very first day, now would we?”

Satan’s eyes flicker with annoyance. “Certainly,” he says, lips pursed. “You should probably get going. You don’t want to keep Lord Diavolo waiting.”

She hears Lucifer hum behind her before disappearing out the door, throwing one last warning to everyone to not be late and she sighs, relieved.

“Is he always like that?”

Asmodeus laughs as he finishes the last of his breakfast, eyes twinkling when he looks at her. “Lucifer?” he asks, while Satan shakes his head, groaning. “No, he’s usually worse.”

“Oi, are you done? I swear if you make me late–,”

Aeris jumps slightly, swallowing the last of her breakfast sandwich and downing her lukewarm coffee in two gulps. “I’m coming, just give me a second–,” she stands, dabbing at her lips with a napkin and pushing her chair back in.

“We don’t have all day, human!”

“Go get her bag, Mammon,” Satan sighs. “I’ll help her with this.”

“Oh, but–,”

Mammon’s complaints can be heard all the way from the corridor, but she’s much too distracted by Satan’s sudden presence right in front of her to say much about it. His fingers are long and elegant, oval shaped nails painted a bright emerald green. He undoes her pathetic knot in about two seconds and takes only a minute to tie it around her neck, careful not to touch her skin. The smile on his face is tenuous and suddenly, she finds herself very quiet once more.

“There you go,” he says, tugging on it gently for good measure. “All done.”

Desperate to breathe out in relief, Aeris extricates herself from his close proximity, rushing to the large mirror on the opposite wall. The knot is certainly more elaborate than anything she’s ever attempted and she smiles at Satan’s reflection.

“Oh wow,” she breathes, “That looks lovely. I have no idea how to tie these things, thank you.”

“It’s an Eldricht knot,” he says, swinging is bag over his shoulder. “It’s not difficult once you get used to it, I’ll find you an instructive if you’d like.”

Aeris hums appreciatively, quieting down as she follows an irritated Mammon out of the house, listening to a litany of curses and vague threats that, after a while, lose some of their intended effect.

There is no sun in the Devildom, she is surprised to hear Satan explain, and the sky is vastly different from what she’s used to, back on Earth. What this means is that while there are other stars on their skies, their light is colder and she can’t explain it, but it  _ feels  _ artificial. The perpetually dark skies are no less beautiful, though, torn asunder in shades of blue, purple and fading gold.

The Royal Academy of Diavolo – or RAD, for short, is a much more impressive building by twilight. The way it is build reminds her vaguely of feudal castles, though the architecture is much, much more impressive. The gargoyles that guard the entrance look terrifying and she can’t surprise the little yelp as one stretches it’s huge stone wings, yawning as they approach the main stairs.

She ends up bumping back into Beelzebub, whose hands come out to rest on her shoulders, steadying her. His touch is surprisingly gentle and Aeris glances at him over her shoulder, giving a small cough into her fist while Asmodeus laughs and even Satan chuckles.

“Careful,” he says, frowning. “Anyone can step on you if you stop so suddenly.”

“I’m sorry,” she says, resuming a more dignified gait. “I wasn’t expecting them to  _ move _ .”

“Well, whaddaya expect? They can’t just stay there, like  _ statues _ ,” Mammon guffaws loudly. “Give ‘em a break!”

Her schedule seems straightforward enough and has been adjusted so that she always has at least one of the brothers in every one of her classes. The first two lessons go by surprisingly fast and she half wishes she’d brought some of that aspirin because there is a lot of information to be processed and already, she feels the beginning of another headache threatening her. She excuses herself from Asmodeus’ and Mammon’s side, in need for a quick bathroom break.

“Don’t take long! Lucifer will have my head if we’re late to any class on your very first day.”

“I won’t,” Aeris assures him, disappearing down the corner into one of the communal bathrooms down the hall. Five minutes later, pulling her bag tight over her shoulder, Aeris hears two students gossiping nearby. She stops, barely peeking around the corner, back pressed flat against the cold stone wall.

“Hey, check it out.  _ That’s _ the human that everyone’s been talking about. You think it’s true what they say, that Mammon became a babysitter?”

“Well, if so, then I’d say that actually works out great, doncha think? If we wait and strike when he’s not paying attention, he’ll never figure out it was us.”

“C’mon, we should devour the human before Beel does.”

They’re about to move and despite how vehemently Mammon has drilled into her that if a demon comes at her she must  _ run _ , Aeris can feel the heat rising to her neck and cheeks and knows it is everything but embarrassment.

She’s supposed to just stand there and let them talk about her like that?  _ As if _ .

“Hey, you there.”

Aeris jumps slightly, shoulders tense but doesn’t turn just yet.

“That’s right, I’m talking to you, the human with that frightened, tormented look on your face that demons love so much.”

“I’m not frightened,” she scowls, turning towards the silver-haired stranger. “I’m irritated.”

“You’re practically screaming, ‘Come and eat me! I’m scrumptious!’” He walks closer and Aeris purses her lips, aware that the demons she was eavesdropping on have gone quiet somewhere behind her. She tries not to worry about it as she boldly turns her back on them to face him.

“Your name is Aeris, isn’t it? This D.D.D. here belongs to you, right? I saw you drop it just now.”

“Oh,” she says, extending her hand, her eye catching on the impressive rock on his right ring finger . “Thank you, I hadn’t realised.”

“What’s with that look? There’s no need to be suspicious of me,” he laughs, hands now in his pockets. “My name is Solomon. I’m an exchange student from the human world, just like you.”

She tilts her head to one side, studying him closely. There’s nothing suspicious about the way he looks; his uniform is neatly done and his face is open and very handsome. Still… “So you’re the one Lucifer mentioned. How do you know my name?”

“Lucifer mentioned me? You must tell me all about it, sometime.” Solomon’s eyebrows rise to the top of his head, but he quickly composes himself and is smiling slyly once again. “You’re probably not aware of this, but you’re a bit of a celebrity here at RAD right now. Just being an exchange student from the human world makes you special enough. But on top of that, you’ve got an infamous demon like Mammon looking after you as well.”

“What  _ is  _ it with everyone and Mammon?”

Solomon simply shrugs, glancing at his watch and flashes her another smile. “Uh-oh. I’d better get going. See you around, Aeris. Take care of yourself.”

“You too,” she waves, turning on her heel towards the opposite direction, eyes scanning the emptying hallway for any sign of her previous admirers. Instead, she is met with the Vicepresident of the student council himself, towering easily over her.

“You’ve become quite the celebrity here, haven’t you?”

“Hello, Lucifer,” she says, chancing a polite smile that he returns coolly.

“Be sure not to let your guard down. I don’t want you to end up getting eaten by some random, lesser demon. It would only mean plenty of paperwork for me, and I don’t need that.” He scowls vaguely, as if the thought is mildly irritating by itself. “That’s an impressive knot. Suits you.”

“Satan is very skilled.” Her fingers touch her tie absently. “Does everyone here really want to eat me?”

“It’s very likely. We don’t get very many human visitors,” he murmurs, ignoring her comment about Satan. “I hope you’ve learned how to do it on your own. My brothers aren’t entirely dependable.” Before she can answer though, he’s already looking over her shoulder to where Solomon has disappeared. “Was that Solomon I saw you talking with earlier?”

“Yes,” she answers, nodding. “I dropped my D.D.D. earlier. He was kind enough to return it.”

“Ah, how noble. You and he are the only two students from the human world here. Seeing as you’re both human, it’s fine if you associate with him, but know that he can’t be trusted. He may be a mere human, but he has a ring imbued with wisdom and he wields powerful magic. He’s the type of man who will try to subjugate even a powerful, greater demon is he gets the chance.”

“What do you mean by that?” Aeris asks, eyebrows raised. Solomon seems like a nice enough person and all things considered, she can’t imagine how one human sorcerer can be more dangerous than an entire house full of demons.

“Nothing for you to worry about,” he says simply, standing up straighter. “I’ll walk you to class this time, but do try to remain at Mammon’s side. I wasn’t joking about those demons wanting to devour you. Now what’s your next class, hm … Modern Alchemy and Transmutation?”

Lucifer knocks on the door, his other hand politely splayed against Aeris’ back. He steps inside the classroom and she follows him silently.

“Forgive the interruption, Madam Haagenti,” he says, bowing slightly. “I had some things to discuss with out newest exchange student and I’m afraid I kept her beyond the appropriate time.”

“Lucifer!” the old demoness exclaims, shaking her head. “No need for apologies, dearest, we were just about to start. Ms. Ó Mordha, is it?” she asks, checking the list on her hand. “Don’t mind it, take a seat please. You’re most welcome here, dear.”

“I leave her in your care, then. Ms. Ó Mordha. Students.”

Aeris doesn’t miss the reactions of her classmates, nor that of Mammon and Beelzebub, who stare after Lucifer and then, after her. She takes the seat offered besides Beel and looks straight at the professor and then back to her notes, acutely aware of how many students are shamelessly staring at  _ her _ .

She sighs, unperturbed, thinking about Solomon and that strange, carved ring on his finger and how laughable it is that Lucifer, of all people, told her not to trust the only other human in the Devildom.

“Are you trying to get me in trouble?” Mammon hisses at her and she looks back at him, surprised. She pulls his notebook towards her and lazily sketches a doodle that vaguely resembles Mammon. She scribbles a star and a number one besides it and slides it back to him, smirking at his slight blush.

“Now, why would I do that, hmm?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because my main goal in this story is to get a good feel of my MC and the canon characters, expect slice of life every other chapter. I'm absurdly interested in what a normal day at RAD looks like and trust me, it will show.


	3. unlikely alliances

After her little tryst with Lucifer, Mammon seems determined not to let her out of his sight and she finds herself constantly jostled from one class towards the other. She is introduced to her new professors and students by every member of the student council and despite the fact that Asmodeus, Satan and Beelzebub can perfectly walk her from one class to the next, her seemingly inseparable guardian is dutifully waiting for her outside the classroom whenever the bell rings. 

Mammon, for all his harsh talk, is surprisingly gentle with her. He makes sure not to walk too fast — _“yes, I know your weak human legs can’t keep up but ya can try, right?”_ — and every now and then points out a demon and gives out increasingly elaborate details about them. She’s not entirely sure how trustworthy his word is, but she nods anyway and files away these trivial details to be examined later.

The first day of classes passed by in a flurry and by the time they get home, her nerves are beyond frazzled. She still has to finish up the list of things she needs to get and wonders vaguely if she ought to ask Lucifer or someone else for help with that.

“Anyway, I can’t stress this enough — if a demon’s coming at ya, human, you need to _run_. Or else, you’ll die. D’you get that?”

“You know, I’m starting to feel quite unsafe here, with all those warnings,” she laughs over her shoulder, turning around and stopping just before colliding straight into one of Mammon’s brothers. “Oh!”

He does _not_ look amused.

“How about this? I vote for YOU to die, Mammon.”

“D’ah! Levi…”

“Uh, you remember Leviathan, the Avatar of Envy, don’t you? Glad you do, let’s move on.”

Of course she remembers him, despite the fact that she hasn’t seen him since her unceremonious arrival to the Devildom. She had wondered briefly about his absence at school but figured it was one of those things she was better off not knowing.. After all, it was one less demon to worry about. She extends her hand towards Leviathan but he barely glances at her, his deadly focus on Mammon alone.

“Mammon, give me back my money. _Then_ go crawl in a whole and die.”

“Come on, I told you I’d get it to you! I just need a little more time … and you still want me to die even after I give it back? That’s real harsh, Levi!”

“You need a little more time? How much more?”

“A little more, okay? A little more means a little more!”

“You’ve been telling me that for the last 200 years, Mammon.”

“Hey, no! It hasn’t been 200 years! It’s been 260! Get it right, Levi!”

“Unbelievable. Seriously Mammon, you’re—,”

“I’m what? Scum? Is that what you’re gonna say?”

“—you’re a _lowlife_ and a waste of space.”

“Hey! Come on, that’s even worse!”

“Well, you two seem to have a lot going on,” she begins, palms raised in what she hopes is a peaceful, neutral stance. “Maybe I should get—,”

“What’s the deal with you, anyway? Are you his new sponsor or something?”

“Wha... no! I’d need someone rich enough to support me. Don’t be crazy. Though now that I think about it... Levi, I’m pretty sure this one likes to collect the same stuff that you do. I bet you’d kill to have some of the stuff in her collection. You know what I’m talking about...those doll things you always buy. What do you call ‘em again?”

“Figurines.”

“Yeah, those!”

Aeris, whose eyebrow has been steadily disappearing into her hairline, rounds on Leviathan just as his unimpressed, cold stare sizes her up. “So, you also collect figurines? Which ones? Ooh, do you have any of the main characters from _Battle Princess Brigade?_ Or _Girls Only,_ or _Diamond Dust?_ ”

“I’m quite sorry,” she says and she almost means it. “I’m not sure I follow you. Mammon, I have never—,”

The speed at which Mammon can run is truly the second most terrifying thing she has seen since she was brought to this godforsaken place and she blinks a couple of times, torn between feeling irritated that he’s pulled her into his mess or laughing out loud at how fabulously it has worked out for him.

“Ugh, you’ve got to be kidding me. That ass Mammon ran off!”

“That was incredible,” she exhales, more annoyed than impressed at her guardian’s sudden disappearance.

“Do you realise what just happened?” Levi asks, scowling. “Mammon used you as a distraction to get away from me.... Or maybe I should say he used you as a _sacrifice_. I’ll admit that Mammon is one of the scummiest scumbags you’ll ever meet… a total lowlife. But still, that was pretty dumb of you letting him use you like that.”

“Dumb of me?” she repeats and this time she _does_ laugh. “I don’t suppose you’re at fault at all, of course.”

“This is exactly why humans are— listen, are you free right now? Of course you are. You’ve gotta be, right?”

“Well, not exactly, no—,”

“You know what, never mind. Either way, you’re coming with me.”

“Ooh! _Levi—_ ,”

Leviathan holds her wrist and drags her up the staircase and down the hallway, stopping briefly to steal a furtive glance around before pulling her inside. She rubs at her wrist, scowling at him. “Why, exactly, were you looking around to see if anyone was watching? Should I be worried?”

“Why do you THINK I did it? Isn’t it obvious?! Imagine what would happen if someone saw me inviting _you_ into my room! A _human_ who doesn’t even look like an otaku, but a _normie_! You know what people would say, right?!”

“Why, Leviathan,” she starts sweetly, “Are you worried that people might gossip?”

It’s almost worth the trouble, she thinks, just to see him flail and blush furiously, glaring at her and hiding behind his hands. After spending the entire day around the likes of Lucifer, Satan and Solomon, she finds Leviathan’s glaring honesty _refreshing_.

“Of... of c-c… of c-c-course not! Th...th-that’s crazy! There’s room in my heart for only one person, and she’s animated! I’ll always stay faithful to my dear, sweet Ruri-chan, always! Why would people gossip? It’s insane, that’s what it is!”

But Aeris is no longer interested in teasing him, too caught up glancing around her. His bedroom is like nothing she has ever seen before. There is ocean-blue tile on the floor and what little of the walls isn’t covered by anime and pop culture posters and framed pictures seems to be painted in a cool, calm waves motif. The room appears to be underwater — the ceiling resembles the bottom of a glass pool and underneath the blue, ethereal light, Leviathan looks _beautiful_ and far more composed than she’s seen him so far.

“That’s unfortunate,” she finally sighs, stopping in front of a large, sturdy bookcase full of thick, hardcover books as big as encyclopedias. _The Tale of the Seven Lords: The Lord of Shadow Awakens._

“What are you looking at, human? Don’t tell me you’re a fan of TSL, too!”

“Aeris,” she chides gently, running her finger along the spine of one particularly thick volume. “And I’ve never heard of it.”

Too late she realises what a terrible admission that is, because Leviathan is not only criticising her ignorance and total lack of taste, he also takes it upon himself to explain the basic plot of the series, highlighting the main characters and what he likes so much about it. Aeris listens patiently, amused at the idea of one of the most powerful lords of hell being an absolute nerd. If he were a human and they were back home, she wonders how long it would have taken her to eat him alive.

“You are truly the worst,” he complains finally, making her frown. “This is starting to depress me. Anyway, I didn’t bring you here to talk about TSL. I don’t think there’s any harm in just coming out and saying what you already know is true: Mammon is a complete and utter scumbag.”

“Are you sure you should be saying that? Isn’t he your older brother?”

“It’s very important that you understand this. So I’ll say it one more time. _Mammon is a hopeless, worthless, scumbag.”_ Leviathan shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “I lent that scumbag money, and now I want him to pay me back. But being the scumbag that he is, he won’t do it. I wish I could force him to, but despite what a rotten waste of space he is, as you correctly said, Mammon’s still the second oldest. As the third oldest, no matter how hard I try, I don’t stand a chance against him.”

In the next ten minutes, she haphazardly guesses, Leviathan spins a painfully elaborate tale of how he and Mammon became enemies, including a rather detailed account of Mammon’s sleeping preferences that has her feeling all sorts of uncomfortable now.

“—you’ve seen how fast he is yourself, haven’t you? No one aside from Lucifer or Beel has that kind of speed.”

“Alright, I _get_ it,” she interrupts, already growing bored. “But I still don’t know what you want me to _do_.”

“Well, if, say, a _human_ made a _pact_ with Mammon, and bound him to their service...then he’d have to do whatever that human told him to. Which means that if you make a pact with Mammon and then ordered him to give me back my money, he wouldn’t have any choice but to do it.”

_Oh._

“What exactly do you mean, a pact?” Suddenly, she’s much more interested in this conversation and carefully edges around that interest, looking innocently at the demon before her.

“A pact, with a demon...haven’t you seen that in movies and such?”

“Yes,” Aeris deadpans. “In movies and such. Up until a day ago, I had no idea any of this was even possibly. How do pacts even work?”

“Why are you being difficult?” Leviathan sighs, exasperated. “The demon lends his strength to a human to make their wish come true in exchange for their soul.”

“Oh. That sounds fascinating, really, but isn’t my soul something I should be taking care of? Your brother said I’m supposed to be looking after it and polishing it.”

“There are some risks, but using demons sounds cool, right? You wanna give it a try? Also, I’m sure it would be useful having him as your servant. I mean, despite how awful he is, he’s still a powerful demon.”

He’s right, of course. This sounds exactly like the kind of thing that could save her life if she ends up in a bad situation which, considering where she is and why, is very possible. Still, what Leviathan is suggesting doesn’t seem like it should be easy, despite how laid-back he looks as he explains it.

“I bet you feel worried, being dragged down here to the Devildom and all. So, I don’t think it would end up being a bad deal for you either, don’t you agree?”

“Even if I went along with this,” Aeris begins, careful not to seem anything but politely interested, “And it _does_ sound crazy, Levi, how would I even go about doing that?”

“I take it this means you think this plan of mine could work, right? Excellent. You may be a human, but still… you show some promise!” Her smile at his words is short-lived as he continues, talking over her, “Regardless, if I'm being honest, I don’t really care what _you_ think. What’s important is that I have a plan, and I’m going to explain it to you now, so, shut up and listen. If you just walk up to Mammon and ask him to make a pact with you, he’ll never agree. No, you need some leverage… a bargaining chip. You’re going to offer him something in return...Something he wants so badly that he’d do ANYTHING to get it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The events in this chapter are based heavily around lessons 1-10 through 2-15, though you will have noticed that the conversation with Lucifer and Solomon took place already in the previous chapter. I’m exploring motivations here and setting up a bit of a more believable pace, perhaps, to the events that take place in canon. I like to think my MC is genuinely interested in what’s going on around her, despite the fact that she feels increasingly frustrated at how vulnerable she is, as she was essentially kidnapped and thrown into the water to swim with sharks. 
> 
> That said, this was supposed to be a longer chapter but I had to make a cut because the next one involves Lucifer and I'm still working on getting inside his head.


	4. the thing that mammon wants the most

Leviathan’s plan is simple but brilliant, in theory. At first, she is reluctant to believe that Mammon’s most prized possession is something as simple as a credit card, but the more Leviathan speaks, the more she finds herself accepting it. Every one of his brothers has warned her to be wary of Mammon’s swindling ways and yes, he seems to have some trouble with money and it makes sense, really, that Lucifer would confiscate his card as punishment. These are all established facts that she is in no rush to challenge, but the tricky part about Leviathan’s plan is that it depends entirely on her ability to draw information from his eldest brother and that’s where Aeris hesitates.

_ So, listen up. I want you to talk to Lucifer and find out where he’s hidden it. Of course, he can’t suspect anything. You’ve got to be subtle, like it happened to come up naturally. Make sure you do a good job, or else! _

For someone whose social interactions are so limited, Levi is surprisingly perceptive. She spends the rest of her evening turning his words over in her mind, wondering if she just might pull this off. She wants to say no. She  _ should _ , really. But part of her knows that Levi wasn’t wrong about what he said — binding Mammon in a pact with her is her best option if she wants to feel less vulnerable in this unfamiliar, dangerous place. 

Her D.D.D. beeps and she picks it up, opening the messenger app.

_ Heya, I suddenly remembered I have some business to take care of. So, if ya need something, just ask Levi. _

Then:

_ Oh, and just to make sure… don’t go around tellin’ stuff to Lucifer, ya got that? _

She finds a cute demoji with an ‘OK’ and sends it and when Mammon replies with a kissy demoji, it’s almost enough to make her feel bad about Levi’s plan. 

And yet,  _ almost  _ never got anyone anywhere.

As it turns out, the perfect opportunity to set the plan in motion arrives the next day, some time after dinner. She has just missed being accidentally swatted by Asmodeus, who’s trying to get his plate as far away from Beelzebub as possible, when Lucifer addresses her directly from the doorway.

“Find me in my study after you’re finished,” he says, frowning at his brothers. “Asmodeus, stop teasing Beelzebub.”

“Oh, but he’s just adorable when he  _ wants  _ something, don’t you think?”

“I don’t care. You’re setting a terrible example for our human guest.”

“She doesn’t mind, do you, dear?”

Aeris shakes her head a fraction of an inch before meeting Lucifer’s dangerously narrowing gaze. “Not really, no,” she says, spooning the last of her custard into her mouth, unwilling to break his stare.

“Do  _ not  _ encourage him.”

“You know what?” she says, extricating herself from Asmo’s growing proximity and standing. “Why don’t you go ahead? I’ll help clear the dishes and then I’ll follow you. It’ll be a minute.”

It’s difficult to tell if he’s satisfied or not but seconds later, Lucifer disappears out the doorway until his footsteps are no longer heard and she can sigh, content, as she rests her forearms on the back of her previously occupied chair.

“Look at our human, Satan,” Asmo eyes her coyly. “Already defying Lucifer, and it’s scarcely been a week.”

“I wasn’t defying him,” she replies, looking up and raising an eyebrow. “Really.”

Satan pours himself a second cup of tea and looks at her over the edge of the steaming mug, smirking. “He’s only letting it slide because he hopes your domesticity will rub off on us, but he’ll give you an earful in a few minutes.”

“Well, that sounds promising,” Aeris mutters, picking up her plate and a few others, setting them down gently on the sink. Satan offers to help so she can find Lucifer now, but she shakes her head, adamant.  _ Let him wait,  _ she thinks as warm, soapy water runs down her wrists. She thinks back on Satan’s words and wonders how strict Lucifer can be, to put up with his brothers and the rest of the demons in this place. She hadn’t been lying before -- she wasn’t  _ defying _ him, really, but she had never taken well to being too closely controlled and she’d be damned if she didn’t at least make that known.

Fifteen minutes and a couple of arguments between siblings later, she’s knocking on a handsome mahogany door until Lucifer’s voice tells her to come inside.

He’s sitting on the far end of the room, his back towards a tall French window. The office is sparsely but very tastefully decorated, with rows upon rows of books in an upper level accessible through staircases on either side of her. A fire burns brightly to her left and is reflected beautifully against the pretty bottles sitting on opposite shelves, decorating an elegant and very private sitting area. Despite this, she finds the place rather cool and is suddenly grateful for the fire.

“You called?” she murmurs, walking up to his desk. Lucifer doesn’t look up from the papers in front of him, but nods towards the sitting area across from him. “Please,” he says, “I’ll be with you in a moment.”

In the time it takes him to finish his work, Aeris decides this is the only option she has and making her peace with it, smiles to herself. This is the first time she’s been alone with Lucifer in such close quarters and his earlier tone, along with his brothers’ teasing, are what make her more nervous than she ought to be.

“Would you like to drink anything?” he asks, pouring a low glass of an amber, sweet smelling liquid.

“Wine would be nice,” she says, smiling. “White, if you will.”

“It seems I’m a poor host,” Lucifer replies, frowning though there is no remorse in his gaze. “I don’t have any wine from the human world. But this should be close enough.”

He offers her a long stemmed, U-shaped glass and she takes it, her fingers barely missing the warm leather of his gloves. The first sip is surprisingly cool on her tongue, a little less sweet than she’s used to, but the flavour is rich and absolutely sinful. “Oh, that’s very good,” she says, honest. “Thank you. What did you want to see me for?”

“I wanted to talk to you about your first week here. You’ve had a good look at what the rest of the year will be like, but I’m sure you must have questions or observations,” Lucifer crosses one leg over his knee and takes a slow drink off his glass. “You might not believe me, but Lord Diavolo does intend to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible.”

“I believe you,” Aeris finally says, humming. “I just think an invitation might have gone a bit easier.”

“Hm. Perhaps we’ll consider it for next year.” Lucifer doesn’t sound amused.

“Until then, I have a list,” she continues, waving an airy hand as he gives her a look, encouraging her to go on. “Clothes, books, things I need or want. I can email it to you, if you’d like?”

“Please don’t,” he says, scowling briefly. “As a guest of Lord Diavolo’s you are, as you have effectively guessed, under his care. What you need will be provided, with some discretion. You could go shopping over the weekend, I’m sure Asmodeus would be willing to help you.” 

He slips his hand inside the pocket of his jacket and takes out a neatly-pressed, white envelope. She takes it curiously, eyes lighting up as she realises what’s inside. “Is this what I think it is?”

“Like I said,” Lucifer smiles, and for a moment she is taken aback by how good he looks when he’s not scowling. “You  _ will  _ be taken care of.”

_ There’s nothing Mammon wouldn’t do if it meant getting his credit card back, I’m sure of it.  _

“Please give him my thanks,” she says, finding her own tongue and pocketing the envelope carelessly. She’ll figure out the details later, surely, but she has more important things to get at before that. 

“Is there something else you want to ask me?” 

“There is, actually,” Aeris says, tossing her hair behind her.  _ Here goes nothing.  _ “I’d like to know more about Mammon.”

“Mammon? Why do you want to know about him all of a sudden?” ” Lucifer asks, gazing at her over his drink, ever so calm. “Hm, I guess it’s only natural, considering he’s the one assigned to look after you. Mammon is my brother. I don’t want to say anything unkind about him. So, I’ll try to be sparing in my criticism. He’s pure scum. Pure, unfiltered, disgusting scum to the point that I'm embarrassed to call him a fellow demon, much less my brother.” The way he says it is what surprises her the most, how he is absolutely merciless without hesitation. “So, any particular reason you asked, or were you just curious?”

“I’m curious,” she half-lies, taking another sip of her drink. “He’s taking care of me and I barely know him. I don’t know what he likes or what he cares about. It feels so impersonal and I’m too shy to ask him.”

Lucifer is staring at her, an amused smile on his face. Up this close, she can’t deny how handsome he looks and her mouth goes dry as soon as the thought comes to her head, again. She takes one slow sip and swallows that thought.  _ The audacity of them,  _ she thinks,  _ being both hot  _ and  _ dangerous. _

“I doubt you’re that shy. But I will humor you, this once. The answer to that would have to be money. If you took all of his money away from him, what else would be left in his life? Nothing. Money can take a lot of different forms, of course. But regardless of the form, as long as Mammon has money, he’ll spend it. There are no limits with him. So, in order to impose limits of my own, there’s a certain form of money that I've  _ frozen  _ in his case,” he nods towards her, looking at the pocket where she slipped the envelope he’s given her. “That has a limit too, of course, but we made sure to take your usual lifestyle into consideration. For more … extravagant expenses, I would suggest taking up a part-time job.”

“I see,” she says, turning the rapidly emptying glass between her fingers. “You’ve really thought about everything, haven’t you?”

“Not everything, I’m sure,” Lucifer’s smirk is more pronounced, though he is now lying back further from her in his chair. “But I will get to that, eventually.” He nods towards her mostly empty glass, “Now, off you go. It’s late and you’ve got class tomorrow.”

Aeris doesn’t even pretend to fight him this time. She tosses back the rest of her drink and licks her lips slowly, smiling at him. “Right, class. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” She doesn’t wait for an answer, turning on her heel and walking towards the door, heart pounding steadily against her chest. 

She pulls her D.D.D. out of her pocket and hesitates just a second before sending a message. 

_ You say Lucifer mentioned having frozen something? Are you absolutely sure that’s what he said? _

_ Yes, I’m absolutely sure. Meet me at the kitchen later tonight. I’ll text you. _

_ Fine. Don’t tell anyone what you’re doing. I don’t want anyone to mistakenly think that I want to hang out with some human normie. _

Waiting for everyone to settle into their bedrooms isn’t quite as taxing as one might have expected. She still had some revising to do for tomorrow’s lessons and there were a couple of things she wanted to add to her shopping list, now that she knew she had somewhat of a free reign.

She turns the sleek credit card between long fingers, thoughtful. It is thicker and heavier than the plastic she’s used to, a deep crimson colour with a tiny diamond-shaped ruby encrusted in the middle, atop the royal sigil. If tonight’s anything to go by, she definitely shouldn’t let Mammon see this, so she places it inside a small coin purse, tucked safely in her backpack.

She’s already yawning by the time she’s supposed to meet Levi and is surprised to see someone has already beat her to the empty kitchen. Across, poring over the fridge is Beelzebub, chewing loudly on crackers and what seems to be a week’s rations across the table.

He turns upon her arrival, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

“Oh,” he says through a mouthful, “it’s you. What are you doing here?”

“I … got hungry,” she says, hand flying to a small bunch of grapes and popping one into her mouth. Beelzebub nods, his expression softening.

“I get that. I’m sorry, you’re a bit late. I already ate everything else in the fridge. You’re not going to tell on me, are you?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” she says, popping another grape and chewing slowly through its sweetness.

“Great. I’m leaving then, I think Lucifer has some poisoned apple hidden in the study.”

“You know, I think I saw him carrying a small bag before I went to see him earlier?”

Beel looks very serious, nodding. “I’ll check it out, thanks for the tip.”

“Have a good night!” she calls softly after him, smile faltering slightly after he disappears and she can focus on the pestering sound coming from the corner.

“--psst, hey!”

“Is that you, God?” she asks, brows furrowed. “It’s me, Aeris.”

“That is  _ not _ funny,” Leviathan says, stepping out of his hiding place. 

“I don’t know, I think it’s hilarious. What are you doing there, Levi?”

“What do you think? Beel was just in there! I can’t have him finding me with  _ you _ now can I?”

Aeris eats two more grapes as she walks towards him, peering curiously around the kitchen. “Oh, there’s no harm in that. Where’s the freezer?”

“So it’s true? Lucifer definitely used the word “frozen”?”

“Yes,” she says absently, “With a very irritating smirk, too. I suppose he thinks it’s very clever of him.”

Leviathan opens the freezer and bends over inside, rummaging through blocks of ice. “Well, Mammon’s an idiot so he  _ would _ never find it out. All I see is a bunch of ice though, oh wait, look! There’s something behind the ice cream Satan hid from Beel about a century ago…” he reaches out and pulls out a block of ice with a black credit card inside and despite herself, she’s almost laughing.

“Will you believe that? Lucifer wasn’t lying. It really  _ is _ frozen! We need to get it out of the ice now.”

He places the block of ice in the microwave and presses _start._

"Oi! What the _hell_ are you doing there?"

They both jump and the corner of Aeris' mouth twitches.

"Hi, Mammon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is cut off short and took me long to post because I changed phones a few weeks ago and couldn't save my Obey Me! file and I refuse to start over with the game. I was following the canon story, which I do not know by heart and I'm a bit sulky, but I'll be back. This is a good exercise for me.


End file.
